Britain Takes Curling Silver as Canada Defeats GB 9‑6 in Olympic Final
Updated (5 articles)
Gold‑Medal Match Ends in Canadian Victory On 21 February 2026, Team GB lost the men’s curling final 9‑6 to Canada at the Cortina Curling Stadium, handing Canada the gold medal and leaving Britain with silver [1][2]. Bruce Mouat described the result as “like we were the better team,” while Grant Hardie expressed lingering disappointment after the team’s missed hammer opportunities in the final ends [1]. The loss marked Britain’s second consecutive Olympic silver in men’s curling, following the 2022 Beijing Games [1].
Semi‑Final Triumph Over Switzerland Secured Final Spot Two days earlier, on 19 February, Mouat’s rink defeated an unbeaten Swiss side 8‑5 to book the gold‑medal showdown [4]. The semi‑final win attracted a peak BBC audience of 3.4 million viewers, underscoring the match’s domestic popularity [2]. Bobby Lammie later called the victory “the hardest‑fought win we’ve ever had,” highlighting the team’s resilience under pressure [4].
Dominance Since Beijing Evident in World and Grand Slam Titles Since the near‑miss in Beijing, the quartet has captured two World Championships, multiple European crowns and a record 12 Grand Slam titles, cementing their status as the world’s top men’s team [1][3]. Formed nine years ago, the four players insisted on staying together, a decision that British Curling accepted and that has driven their sustained success [3]. Their chemistry, built on honesty and on‑ice communication, is praised by pundits such as Vicky Wright [3].
Historical Drought, Women’s Outcome, and Broad Media Coverage Britain’s men have not won Olympic curling gold since the inaugural 1924 Games, a 102‑year gap the squad hoped to close [2][3]. The British women’s team failed to reach the medal rounds after Switzerland lost to the United States, ending their campaign despite earlier victories over the USA and Japan [4]. The event took place at the historic open‑air venue used in the 1956 Games and was broadcast across BBC TV, iPlayer, Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport app throughout the 6–22 February Olympic schedule [2][3][4].
Sources
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1.
BBC: GB Curling Team Wins Silver as Canada Takes Gold at 2026 Winter Olympics – Details the gold‑medal match, final score, player reactions, and the team’s world‑champion status .
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2.
BBC: Team GB Faces Canada in Men’s Curling Final at 2026 Winter Olympics – Highlights the semi‑final victory, audience figures, Canada’s stone‑tapping controversy, and the 102‑year gold drought .
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3.
BBC: Team GB’s Curling Quartet Targets First Olympic Gold in 102 Years – Focuses on the team’s pre‑final ambitions, their record‑setting Grand Slam tally, and the unique cohesion of the four‑man unit .
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4.
BBC: GB men secure Olympic curling final as women miss out – Reports the 8‑5 semi‑final win over Switzerland, Lammie’s comments, and the women’s elimination after Switzerland’s loss to the USA .
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5.
BBC: GB Curling Teams Keep Medal Hopes Alive After Triple Wins – Covers the men’s and women’s round‑robin victories on 18 February, the men’s reliance on other results, and the women’s precarious path to the semifinals .
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Timeline
1924 – Britain wins the inaugural Olympic men’s curling gold, establishing a historic benchmark that the 2026 men’s team seeks to reclaim after a 102‑year drought. [2]
1956 – The Cortina Curling Stadium opens as an open‑air venue for the 1956 Winter Games, later becoming the site of the 2026 Olympic curling events. [2]
1981 – The same Cortina venue appears in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, adding cinematic lore to its Olympic heritage. [2]
2002 – Great Britain’s women’s curling team captures Olympic gold, a precedent for future British success in the sport. [2]
2014 – Canada defeats Great Britain in the men’s Olympic final at Sochi, the last time the two nations meet in an Olympic gold‑medal match before 2026. [2]
2022 – At the Beijing Winter Games, Britain’s men’s rink earns silver while the women’s team wins gold, setting high expectations for the 2026 squad. [2][4]
Feb 6–22, 2026 – The Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics run, featuring curling competitions at the historic Cortina venue with extensive BBC coverage across TV, radio and iPlayer. [1][2][3][4]
Early Feb 2026 (tournament) – Sweden accuses the Canadian men’s team of “double‑tapping” stones, sparking a controversy that heightens tension ahead of the final. [2]
Feb 18, 2026 – Both British men’s and women’s teams defeat the United States; the men win 9‑2 in six ends, while the women scrape an 8‑7 victory after a final‑end steal, keeping their medal hopes alive. The men’s skip says, “This is a horrible position to be in, watching other games and hoping results go our way.” [5]
Feb 19, 2026 – In the men’s semi‑final, Team GB beats unbeaten Switzerland 8‑5, securing a spot in the gold‑medal match and guaranteeing a fourth British curling medal at these Games; Bobby Lammie calls it “probably the hardest‑fought win we’ve ever had.” The same day, the British women’s rink is eliminated after Switzerland defeats the United States, ending their medal run despite earlier wins over the USA and Japan. [4]
Feb 20, 2026 – Team GB’s quartet—Mouat, Hardie, McMillan and Lammie—previews the final, emphasizing their nine‑year partnership, record 12 Grand Slam titles and the aim to end the 102‑year men’s gold drought; they note the Cortina open‑air stadium’s quirky atmosphere with bagpipes in baby prams. [3]
Feb 21, 2026 – Team GB faces Canada in the men’s Olympic final at 18:05 GMT; Canada takes a 9‑6 victory after Britain misses a crucial hammer, leaving the British side with a second consecutive silver. A tear‑choked Bruce Mouat says he feels “like we were the better team,” while Grant Hardie adds the squad “wanted to win it for each other” after the 2022 disappointment. [1][2]